The Veterans Hearing Aid Improvement Act directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to launch a two-year demonstration project testing whether over-the-counter hearing aids can be covered for eligible veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, similar to how prescription hearing aids are currently covered. The project will run at two VA medical facilities across different regions and will compare outcomes between veterans using FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aids and those receiving audiologist-fitted prescription devices, measuring both self-reported benefits and speech recognition ability. Eligible participants must be enrolled VA patients with clinical confirmation of medical necessity and access to mobile technology to operate the devices. The VA must submit an interim progress report after one year and a final report within six months of the project's completion, including fiscal impact analysis to inform potential permanent coverage decisions. Additionally, the bill requires the Comptroller General to conduct a separate study on hearing aid coverage for veterans with mild-to-moderate hearing loss and submit recommendations to Congress within 18 months.
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